Only Hope

Chapter 13

I headed to the communal floor where JARVIS said everyone was.

"Hey Will's home" Tony said "so how was SHIELD this time".

"Okay, well I was captured by Hydra, went through a portal to another planet, oh and by the way Ward is dead" I laid down on the couch.

"What" Steve asked.

"Um I was assisting two scientists when we were captured. Then Ward forced one of those scientists through a portal at the last second I followed them to protect the scientist. I had to work with Ward to find the scientist again. Ward also died, I was a little disappointed that I hadn't killed him myself, but he's dead now" I explained "here I took pictures of the planet".

"Wow two moons" Tony exclaimed.

"Twelve hours on that stupid planet with Ward. It was torture" I stated.

"I'm sorry Will. What happened to your cheek" Nat asked.

"Ward punched me and then another agent killed him" I said.

"And what happened to your wrists".

"I was tied up for a few hours and tried to escape without using my powers".

"So just be be sure, are you emotionally okay" Steve asked.

"I guess, but if anything I'm relieved. Now there's one less threat to my well being" I said. I headed up to my room to sleep. It was late and I was tired again. I guess that's what I get for not sleeping in two weeks.

Dream:

I was back on that planet see Ward die again. This time I didn't make it to the portal. I was trapped on that planet with Ward's dead body and that creature, but that creature was no longer in that other man, it was in Ward. The creature was walking towards me.
"You're the reason this happened. It's all your fault and now you're going to die for it" the creature said. I tried to use my powers, but they wouldn't work. I was a normal human. I was screaming in pain and the creature took a gun and shot me until the magazine was empty.

I woke up screaming and covered in sweat. My sheets were singed and I could hear the sound off feet rushing down the hall. My door flew open and Steve came in followed by the other Avengers.

"Will what's wrong" he asked. I got up and ran to the bathroom. I needed to puke. I lost any trace of food that had been in my system. Nat came in as I rested my head against the toilet bowl.

"Why don't we get you cleaned up" Nat said. I only nodded.

"Can you tell me what happened".

"Ward. Other planet. Creature. No powers. Helpless" I said between sobs.

"Young Will you aren't making any sense" Thor said.

"She had a nightmare about that other planet" JARVIS stated.

"So that's why the building shook" Tony said.

"Was it Coulson that killed Ward" Clint whispered so the others wouldn't hear. I nodded.

"When was the last time you got at least ten hours of sleep" Pepper asked while changing the sheets on my bed.

"Two weeks ago" I mumbled.

"Why".

"They haunt my dreams" I whispered.

"They".

"Doom and Ward and Pietro and Bruce" I stated.

"We all miss Bruce. He'd know exactly what to do right now" Tony said. Everyone nodded in agreement.

"Hey on a happier note, Christmas is in two days" Clint said.

"Yeah".

I went to a Christmas party at Peter's two days later. It was him and Aunt May and his team. Steve also came. I made Tony, Clint and Thor stay at the tower so they wouldn't break anything. Nat had something else to do.

Sam and Luke were shocked that it was my first Christmas. They acted just as Hunter had.

"Guys it's fine don't worry about it" I said.

"But we have to. Thirteen years old and this is your first Christmas" Sam said.

"Well" I was about to mention my actual age "yeah I guess".

I couldn't tell them. It would cause them to act strange around me like the Avengers had. It was nice to have people that didn't care what I did and I did not want to drive them away. They were the only friends I had that weren't adults.

"Hey Will we should get back to the tower" Steve said. It was getting late and it was Christmas Eve. According to Clint, I had a big day tomorrow.

"So I see your friends are good" he stated.

"Yeah. They just get a little too excited sometimes, like when they met you and the others".

"I noticed. How have you been sleeping in the last two days".

"Eh, okay I guess" I lied. I hadn't slept since that night. I had distanced myself again. I knew that whenever I did that it hurt everyone I cared for, but it was for their protection.

A few minutes later we were back at the tower. The only ones there were Pepper, Tony and Clint. Nat had gone on a mission and Thor had gone back to Asgard.

"Hey mini Rogers are you excited" Tony asked; I nodded not really paying attention. I headed straight up to my room.

Christmas Day was uneventful. I mostly got fireproof stuff. Those of us that were at the tower laid around all day watching television.